Paddle boat



Nov. 13, 1928.

F. A. LINDSTROM PADDLE BOAT Filed Oct. 29, 1927 Patented Nov. 13, 1928.'

unirsi) srivris FRANK A. LINDsTRoM, or sr. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

PADDLE BOAT.

.eppncation filed october 29, 1927. serial No'. 229,614.

This invention relates to paddle boats of a type adapted particularly tobe used as amusementdevices at beach resorts and similar places.

it is the object of this invention to provide a novel paddle boa-twithin which an operator may'sit and paddle about in 'thewateit To thisend, the invention Yconsists in the novel parts and novel combinationsof parts hereinafter dened intheclaims and described in the followingspecification made in connection with the accompanying wherein :likereference `characters refer to the saine or similar parts throughout thevarious viewsv and, in which.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of thepaddle boat;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig.1,- as isindicated by the arrows; v Y

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.; 1, as isindicated by the arrows and l'ig. l is a vertical section taken on theline of Fig. 1, as is indieated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, a pair of long 'loats 5 are provided whichare preferably floats of tubular construction and havingV pointed closedforward endsandclosed rear ends. The floats 5 arek arranged in parallelspaced relationship and each float has securedrtheretorby straps 6 a bar7 at its upper side. Bars 7 are secure/d together by suitable bracingsuch as rear transverse bar 8 and the forward transverse bars 9, inturn, secured together by longitudinal bars 10. Secured forward of thecenter of each of the bars 7 is a slotted keeper 11, while spacedrearwardly from the keepers 11 staples 12 are secured to the bars 7.Sliding bolt latches 1B of the conventional type are secured to the bars7 adjacent `each of the staples 12 so that the bolts of the latches maybe engaged or disengaged within the staples 12. Bearing blocks 14 areplaced on the bars 7 between keepers 11 and staples 12 and are adaptedto be fixed in place by means of U-shaped bars 15 which are adapted toextend over the said bearing blocks and each of which has one endadapted to fit within the slot on one of the koepel-S111 and anotherhasp-like end having a slot therein so that the end can `be placed overthe staple 12, whereupontlie bolt of the latch 18 may be slid throughthe staple to securely hold and retain the bar 15 and the bearing block14s drawings, n

in place. A pair of spaced strap bearings 16 are secured to each bearingblock 14 and have journaled therein a crank shaft 17 provided with acrank portion 17a inwardly from the float to which its respectivebearing block is secured, Outwardly from-each of the bearing blocks 14,each of the crank shafts 17 hassecured thereto a pairof spaced heads 18carrying a plurality of radial arms 19. v`Transverse slats 20 extendbetween and are secured to adjacent arms 19 mountedin the two headssecured to each sh aft"17.' The heads 118, arms 19 and slats 20 for-eachshaft 17, form a paddle wheel projecting outwardly from the strapbearings 16 (at Vthe outer side of a repective float.

Channel shaped track members 2,1 are secured to each of the bars 7rearwardly from the crank shaft 17 so that the track members extend overthe side edges of the bars. A transverse seat22 having a back 23 securedthereto by suitable brackets 24 extends between the bars and is suitablymounted by brackets 25 on the tra/ok members 21 for sliding movementover the same.v Two of the brackets 25 are secured to'each end of theseat 22, project upwardly therefrom and then extend horizontally overthe two track members 21 r`on eachbar 7 vand each bracket is providedwith a hooked por-.

tion at its upper outer end hooked over one of the outer track members21. AS is illustrated in Fig. 3, the brackets 25 are so constructed thatalthough they are capable of sliding movement on the track members 21,they cannot be disengaged therewith to permit removal of the seat 22.

The crank shafts 17 inwardly from the crank portions 17a are providedwith grooves 17b adjacent their ends and a sleeve 26 fits over the twoinner ends of the two crank shafts and is provided with a pair of screws27 projecting inwardly from the sleeve and -v.fitting within the groovesy17b to hold the crank shafts from lateral movement. The' screws 27 donot normally engage the inner ends of the crank shafts 17 so that thetwo crank shafts can rotate independently of each other andindependently ofthe rotation of sleeve 26. Hand grip members 28 areloosely mounted on the crank portions 17a of the crank shafts 17.

Forwardly of the crank shafts 17 and at the inner 'sides of each of thefloats 5, there are secured a pair of blocks 29 adapted to be used asleg supports by the operator of the boat. The, blocks 29 are secured tothe bars 7 by means of suitable brackets 80.

In operation, the operator of the boat will sit upon the seat 22 andrest the calves of his legs on the blocksv 29. By sliding the seat 22toward or from the crank shafts 17, he may adjust himself in a positionconvenient for readily grasping the hand grip members 28. The Voperatorcan then grasp the hand grip members 28 and rotate the same, there-V bycausing the crank shafts 17 to be rotated to turn the paddle wheels andvpropel the boat.' Due to the'fact that the two shafts 17 are capable ofindependent rotation, it

will be seen that one paddle Wheel can beV forwardly rotated while theother wheel remainsstationary or is rearwardly rotated. It will thus beapparent that the boat can be readily steered in the water and that thel vsame' can be sharply turned o r reversed. The operator sitting in theseat-22 will rest :partly in the'water and partly above the water. Theb'oatwill thus have a low center of gravity and cannot be readily tippedover when in use. By actual testsA the inventor found that itis almostimpossible'to tip over the boat even onvvery Windy days. Due to the factthat the bracket plates 14 may be removed from the bars 7, it will'beseen that kthe entire crank shaft and paddle wheel constructioncan betaken olf the boat. -The boat then willvbe capable of operation only asa raft. When sodisassembled, the device may be readily shipped orstored.i

' The inventorcontemplates the use ofthe rpaddle wheel and-'crank shaftassembly,not

. only on boats of the Vnature above described but also on row boats orother small skili's.

It will, of course, be understood that varir ous changes may bemade inthevform, de-

tails, arrangement and proportions of the I of said keepers and anotherhasp like end'V .variou'skparts without departing from the i,

adapted to be vfitted over one ofsaid eyes, l said bar being adapted tolit over one ofv said bearings and tobe held iny place by one of saidlatches, a crank shaft Journaled in each bearing and having a crankportion Y adapted .to extend inwardly'fromits respective float and aportion extending outwardly therefrom, a paddle wheel secured to theoutwardly extending portion of Aeach' crank shaft and a seat adapted tobe secured rearJ wardly from said crank shafts between said floats. 1 1'f 2. A paddle boat having in combination a pair of floatssecuredtogether in spaced arrangement, latching means in each float,

a bearing block Vadapted to be releasably` secured to each float by saidlatching means, a' crank shaft vjournaled in each bearing block andhaving a crank portion adapted to extend inwardly from itsv float, and arportion* extending'outwardly from its oat and a paddle wheel'secured toeach' outwardly eX- tending portion of said crankshafts.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

. FRANK A. LINDsTRoM.

